Karlovic, Nieminen, Gulbis in Delray Beach semis

The Associated Press

Second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia advanced to the semifinals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championship on Friday, overpowering seventh-seeded James Blake in the third set for a 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 victory.

The 6-foot-10 Karlovic served 23 aces in improving to 5-3 against Blake and reaching his first semifinal in four quarterfinal appearances this year.

Blake broke the 33rd-ranked Croat once, the fourth game of the second set at love.

In the third set, Karlovic lost only three points in four service games. He won two service games in the final set at love - two of the four points in the first game were aces, and three of the four service points in the fifth game were aces.

Blake, a two-time finalist at Delray Beach, questioned whether Karlovic's backhand was in on the point that cost the American his serve for the second time in the final set, but he lost the argument.

Karlovic will play the winner of the match between defending champion Mardy Fish of the U.S. and fourth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France.